Blue Moon (17 page)

              “Zara?”

             
“What?” I ask coming out of another daze, and look straight into Dallah eyes, she tries not to laugh as she gives me a knowing look.

             
“You ok,” Ruk asks me concerned.

             
“Uh, yeah...I um...what?” for the first time I am lost for words.

             
“You will love this Ruk...” Dallah explains to him about my mother, the dagger, and her worry.

             
“Well shit, we all knew you were different, but Angel! No, you’re safe with that one beautiful, no one will know unless you tell them, which you won’t,” He commands, I just nod my head to him and look away quickly. I have always crushed on Ruk, but since connecting with him, and seeing him play the role of my protector, I am finding him hard to resist. Nevertheless, that is all it can ever be, a crush, as I will never allow myself to fall in love with two men as I once did with Parrise and Sallack.

             
“Ok, I’m going to meet the guys downstairs, so hurry up getting ready,” He tells us while getting up to leave the room.

             
“What was that?” Dallah asks with a knowing smile, once Ruk has gone.

             
“I know! I’m crushing on him so bad Dallah, what is going on with me. I just want to jump him!” I say with a shocked face, and she bursts into laughter.

             
“He is extremely handsome, but he isn’t the one Zara, or so you have been told. Just try to think of him as a brother or...uh I don’t know, maybe you just need a good banging!” She tells me while laughing hard at her own words, and the look I give her.

             
“Thanks for the help, come on lets go.” I tell her pulling her by the arm to follow Ruk down stairs.

I feel terrible for looking at Ruk in that way, when I also want Parrise. Why can I not just want one person? Is it really too much to ask. I need to stay away from both men while we are here, I
cannot let this get in the way of getting Dallah away from Richard.

When we walk into the kitchen all the Brothers’ look up at Dallah and me with smiles, well except for Den. Theo walks in behind us and stops to greet Dallah and me before we make our way to the table.

             
“Hey Angel, Princess, what you up to today?” He asks after kissing our cheeks.

Angel, he has always called me Angel, does he know?
No, he cannot, it is just coincidence.

             
“Nothing planned yet, come sit with us and eat,” Dallah tells him and pulls him to the table, not giving him a chance to argue.

Dallah is pulled down onto Julian’s lap as he kisses her passionately; I have to look away before they make me blush. Where do my eyes automatically go? Ruk! Jeez, I need to sort my shit out.

Ruk looks up at me from feeling my eyes on him; He gives me a sexy smirk before looking back at Sallack to continue their conversation.

The only chair left is opposite Den, so I take it fak
ing a smile, followed by him tutting aloud. I lock eyes with him and stay staring him down while everyone carries on talking.

             
“Alright?” Den asks, not really caring if I am.

             
“No. You?” I tell him in the same manner.

             
“No.” He tells me looking back down at his food.

             
“Well look at you two all chatty,” Mickey jokes as he stands at our sides.

             
“Go away Mickey,” Den tells him with a sigh.

             
“Den, why have you changed so much since being here,” I ask wanting a truthful answer.

             
“Everyone changes,” He tells me looking at me up and down.

             
“Do I disgust you Den?”

             
“Zara, just leave it.”

             
“No, I want to know why you are being like this and why you are getting all friendly with Richard!”

             
“We all have secrets Zara, don’t we?” He asks maliciously.

             
“Yes, I suppose we do. But the difference is mine are kept for everyone’s good! Can you say the same about yours?” I ask him.

             
“I can’t be arsed with this now, not with all this going on!” he angrily replies.

             
“Oh, you noticed!”

             
“Of course I noticed; I don’t go around fucking everything that moves!”

             
“Pa, really? I laugh. “I would put my life on it that you have slept with at least 5 women since arriving here!”

             
“Jealous much?” He asks sarcastically.

             
“You know, there was a time that you were everything to me. I loved you like no other and had to watch you fuck every girl in sight!” I stand to my feet with anger as my only emotion, “Was I like this to you? No! Even though it fucking killed me, I kept my opinions to myself, cried myself to sleep, night after fucking night! So you can call me what you want, look at me however you want, but I know the truth!” I tell him pouring my heart and anger out.

             
“You were in love with me, you loved me!?” He asks stunned, his chest going up and down breathing heavily.

             
“Loved! Past tense!” I shout at him, as I stomp away from the table. ‘SHIT SHIT SHIT’, I curse at myself for revealing my inner most secret in such a cruel manor. What the hell is going on between us? It is painful to have Den insult me so; I just need to get away from him.

Heading outside to cool down, I walk slowly over to a bench enjoying the display of yellow roses surrounding it, and sit down with a sigh. Soon followed by Dallah, who sits beside me in silence, knowing that
that is what I want.

Chapter Eleven

After spending hours in the gardens, feeling misery, and regret for telling Den that I was in love with him. I never wanted him to know, but I just could not keep my big mouth from spitting the words at him in anger. Nevertheless, he should know, if I could take watching him sleep his way through the entire female population, while being hopelessly in love with him and deal with it, then he should have no problem, it’s not as if he is in love with me! I am no nun, but I’m hardly a whore, I have kissed Ruk, Parrise, and Richard, but that is all it was, a kiss. I am 22 years old and been in one serious sexual relationship!

             
“Stop thinking about it, it’s all out in the open now, come on, let’s get ready, I don’t want to anger Richard by being late.” She tells me with a weak smile. I place the book back in the hole I made in her mattress and face her,

             
“I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach Dallah,” I tell her with a sigh.

             
“I have had that feeling every night for the last month; we are all together now, stop worrying.”

             
“Yeah, I guess. So what have we got to wear tonight?” I ask, changing the subject.

             
“Ah, you are going to love this,” She tells me excitedly as she walks to the wardrobe and pulls out a stunning dress. It looks like a swimsuit with a full-length skirt at the bottom, with gold beading around the waist, its strapless and looks as if it has a built in bra.

             
“Where do you get these amazing dresses from?”

             
“I have someone make them for me,” She tells me simply, while looking at the dress in her hand with pleasure.

             
“Make them for you! You design them?” I ask in shock.

             
“Yeah, it’s what I love to do, and with a body like yours, it’s very easy to think of a dress that will look amazing on you.”

             
“Dallah, that is amazing! These dresses are stunning, I feel privileged to wear them.” I tell her honestly, her beautiful face is beaming with pride, bless her she is so talented.

There is a knock at the door while I’m taking the dress from Dallah, and gazing at it in awe, when Parrise walks through
the door.

             
“Little one, this is what you're wearing tonight?”

             
“Hey Parrise, yeah, Dallah had it made it for me, isn’t it stunning?”

             
“It is love; I will look forward to seeing you in it.” He tells me coming to stand at my side.

             
“I’m going to see Julian, I will be back in an hour,” Dallah tells us before she disappears.

             
“How has your day been?” He asks, now standing before me.

             
“Uh, ok I guess,” I tell him looking into his ocean blue eyes, while mesmerized by his male beauty, “You look amazing Parrise, are you on the pull?” I ask mischievously.

             
“Yes love, I am,”

He holds me in his arms and moves with great speed over to the bed, as he lays me down, my heart beats
rapidly, and desire takes hold of my body.

             
“Why don’t you look at me like you used to love,” He asks sadly while searching my eyes.

             
“I look at you the same way I always have Parrise, but so much has happened since coming here,” I tell him holding his face to gaze into his stunning eyes.

             
“Will you kiss me now Zara, with the passion I want so badly to see, and without this on,” He asks, then sighs, letting me up, thinking I wouldn‘t want to go that far.

As he sits on the edge of the bed, I surprise him by climbing onto his
lap, gripping the hem of my dress and slowly and seductively pull it up over my body and toss it on the floor. His stunned face makes me chuckle as I lean forward to take his lips with mine. His big cool hands come up and take hold of my bottom as he slowly stands, carrying me out onto the balcony. The cool air hits my almost naked body as a shiver runs through me, but not from being cold, but from being so turned on. I deepen the kiss, needing him to feel the love I have for him, as his strong hands caress my body. 

The smell of his aftershave and the taste of wine fills my scenes as he lifts me higher against him and his fangs stroke against the sensitive flesh of my skin. He pulls ways from me, wanting my permission before he bites me.

              “Do it Parrise,” I moan to him in a sexually charged tone.

That is
all he needs before his fangs pierce my skin and a mind-blowing orgasm hits me so hard that my body stiffens around him, and my blood feels as though it is on fire. Parrise takes the back of my neck and pulls me down to his mouth to kiss him.

The taste of my own blood hits my pallet, but it’s not a sickening taste, like when I drank blood by accident, thinking it was red wine, this is erotic. Parrise is erotic and sensual. So much for keeping away from him! After the day I have had, the harsh words from Den, I just want to let go and enjoy myself, give in to my heart. Feel something other than hurt and fear.

He carries me back to the bed as he lays me down gently, then climbs on top of me.

             
“I want you to be mine, little one?”

             
“Parrise, it’s not that I don’t want to be, it’s just that I’m not ready for such commitment, not here,” I admit to him shyly.

             
“I will give you time, just don’t take too long. I want to tell every man and every woman that you are mine and I yours.” He tells me while running his cool fingers down my breasts.

             
“Will you wait for me to get dressed, Dallah will freak if we are late, again,” I tell him with a smile.

             
“Yes, I’ll be here,” He tells me with hunger in his stunning eyes.

We decide to take the elevator down to the ballroom, well I say we, but really, I mean Parrise, as he laced his strong arms around me and lifted me to meet his lips. I’m pressed into the elevator glass mirror, and Parrise’s hands work my body as our lips take one another’s in raw passion. As soon as we are back home and everyone is safe, I will go to Parrise, and be his, being with him, being held by him brings everything to reality. I have loved him from the moment I laid eyes on him, and he has never hurt me and, will never hurt me, I believe he could be the one.

The elevator
opens, but we don’t stop kissing until we hear someone clear their throat.

             
“Dallah is waiting for you, hurry up!” Kiss-ass tells me, laced with disgust as he openly gawks at us.

Before my eyes can take in
what has just happened, Parrise stands with Kiss-ass’s head in his hand, while his lifeless body flops to the floor.

             
“Parrise!” I screech, before my hands fly to my mouth in shock.

             
“Love, I can’t stand there and watch him look and speak to you in that way,” He tells me; whilst throwing Kiss-ass’s head over his shoulder, the sound of it hitting the floor makes my stomach flip.

I really didn’t like Kiss-
ass, but what Parrise has done is so gruesome, I really wish he hadn’t done it, well, maybe just that I didn’t have to see it. He was a complete ass!

             
“Can we go before I’m sick?” I say holding my stomach.

             
“Yes love, come on,” He tells me with a smirk, as I lift my dress up to step over a headless kiss ass’s torso.

             
“Richard is going to be pissed with you,” I tell him sternly.

             
“Good, because I am pissed with him,” He tells me as I’m dragged by my hand to the entrance of the hall doors.

             
“Head up, smile on,” Parrise tells me as he pushes open the doors to hundreds of eyes.

Why the hell are they all looking at us? Do they kno
w that Parrise just ripped Kiss-ass’s head off his shoulders? Before I can make another assumption, Richard walks through the crowd of people, pulling Dallah along with him by the arm. He stops before Parrise and I with a snarl on his face, and anger in his eyes.

             
“Well, well, Parrise, didn’t take you long to start removing heads,” He remarks with a raised brow.

             
“No it didn’t, was he a friend of yours?” Parrise asks heartlessly.

“
No, not a friend,” Richard sneers at him.

“It looks like I’ve done you a favour then, ridding you of
staff members who forgot his place!” Parrise say’s, challenging Richard hoping for a reaction.

         “I wouldn’t say that Parrise, but as he was just a
servant, I’m willing to let it pass, not forgetting we are allies after all,” Richard say’s plastering on a fake smile. Clearly backing down from the challenge.

As the chatter starts up again
in the room, with everyone going back to drinking and dancing after they see there is not going to be a fight, I look to Dallah as she gives a little nod of her head, indicating the area where we have sat every night. I think she wants me to go back to the table and talk with her.

              “Can we sit down now?” I ask annoyed.

             
“Yes dear Zara, go ahead,” Richard tells me with a wicked grin.

This I do not like, what is he up to? Whatever it is, it will include me getting hurt, I know what Richard is like now. He has multiple personalities and this one, is the one I fear the most. Too much of a
coward to spar with Parrise for taking out his right hand man, but I am a far easier target to slake his revenge on.

             
“Don’t fear, nothing will happen to you,” Parrise whispers into my ear as he takes me firmly by the waist, leading us over to the Brothers’, Angus, Theo and a few of Richards friends, who are just as vile natured as he.

              “Who did you kill this time?” Angus asks with ghost of a smile as we approach the table.

             
“I do not know his name, Angus. Please sit love,” He tells me while he stands talking to Angus in a hushed tone, too quiet for me to overhear.

I spot Ruk walking up to us and as our eyes lock, I quickly look away. I cannot look him in the eye; I do not want Parrise or Ruk to hear my heart beating wildly.

              “Zara, you look as stunning as ever,” He tells me smiling.

Damn he looks good tonight, with his hair slicked back, highlighting the touches of gold. His suit he makes him look even bigger than his 6 foot 4 frame, and looks wonderful against his olive toned skin. WHAT AM I DOING? Still crushing on him, I need to get a grip on my wayward emotions if Parrise and I can have any sort of relationship.

              “You ok?” He asks, frowning as he can see me trying to work something out in my head.

             
“Yeah I’m fine thanks, and you?” I ask whilst breaking eye contact to pour myself a large glass of wine from the bottle on the table, hoping it will help relax me.

             
“I’m good. We think Richard is planning something, so stay close to me tonight Zara, ok?” He asks nodding his head to me. I nod back in agreement.

I catch Den staring at me as he stands a across the room, with all three of
Dallah’s cousins hanging from him. As our eyes meet, instead of turning away, he stares me down as if trying to intimidate me. Standing up angrily to remove myself from his line of sight, Parrise takes my arm in his hand,

             
“Where are you going?” He asks with concern.

             
“Nowhere, I just don’t want to be sitting down. I will be back in 5 minutes, I want to find Dallah.”

             
“Yes love, stay close to us though.”

             
“I will,” I reply smiling, and kiss his cheek.

Walking around the outside of the dance floor, I see the back of Dallah’s dress as she walks out the doors that lead to the gardens. I wonder why
she is on her own. She knows that we should all be together, maybe Richards upset her again. Walking faster to catch her up, I call out to her just as I lose sight of her amongst the crowds of people.

             
“Dallah,” I raise my voice as I get outside hoping for her to hear me. Not able to find her, so I walk along the trail, heading towards the bench that she likes so much, maybe she has come to clear her head.

             
“Hello little Zara, what are doing out here alone?” Richard asks appearing from nowhere, talking in that knowing voice of his, that I hate.

             
“I’m looking for Dallah. What do you want Richard?” I question him, thinking ‘oh crap’, my heart pounding rapidly, already knowing that I have just walked into one of his traps.